Overeem ready to take non-title bout if necessary

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Alistair Overeem says that, given the choice between fighting as soon as possible or waiting for a heavyweight title shot, he will fight as soon as possible.

Despite being pegged as the next title challenger and number one in line to meet the winner of this Decemberâ€™s clash between champion Junior Dos Santos and challenger Cain Velasquez, Overeem says that if complications arise after the title fight he will take a non-title bout just to get back in there again.

â€śHopefully everybody understands that they fight at the end of the year and therefore itâ€™s not going to be clear when they are available to fight again. In this sport there are many variables, a lot of things are uncertain so if I can choose between waiting for my turn for the title or fight as soon as possible, I would choose to fight as soon as possible,â€ť he told MixFight.nl in his native Holland.

Overeem also laid into Dos Santos for allegedly backtracking on statements made to the press. Overeem accused him of saying â€śall kind of things that donâ€™t really make senseâ€ť and of retracting things he had previously said.

â€śFirst he begged to Dana White he wanted to fight me, so as a fighter I accept such a challenge right away. Now heâ€™s saying that I donâ€™t deserve a title fight. He has to make up his mind as heâ€™s changing his story all the time,â€ť he said.

â€śThe same stuff he was saying about me going to the school of Chael Sonnen. I never made the fight between us personal and I never bad mouthed him, the only thing I said was that I think heâ€™s afraid of me which I think he still is, ha!

â€śWhen I signed with the UFC I could of easily go for the title shot right away but I chose to fight Brock Lesnar so by no means Iâ€™m talking myself into a title shot. If the UFC wants me to fight for the title Iâ€™m available and if they decide to let me fight someone else first Iâ€™m also fine with that. Iâ€™m a fighter and I will get my chance sooner or later.â€ť